This weekend I did something that wasn't even on my bucket list, but I added it and crossed it off. Meg had the ability to stay at a work bunkhouse on Mystic Lake, just on the edge of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana.
Getting to this little "cabin" included the bonus of riding a tram up a STEEP hill, and then getting onto a little miner-type train along the mountain. The cabin and tram were there for power company employees to work on the hydroelectric dam, and since it wasn't being used this weekend we were able to check it out.
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| At the power station, loading up gear with our new pal Marvin. We thought we might have to hike in, so we prepared our backpacks just in case. |
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| Of course, you can't tell how steep it was. |
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| Top of the first tram ride. We jumped off and got onto another little train car. |
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| Jen and I feeling pretty lucky. |
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| The pipe carries water over and straight down toward the power generator building. The force of the water going straight down helps spin the giant generators. |
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| The little dam on Mystic Lake. Our cabin was to the right. |
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| We went for an afternoon hike to "earn our dinner." |
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| Happy Birthday Meg! Fruit and brownie batter fondue. |
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| The little bunkhouse we stayed in. Better than camping out, especially since it was windy and rainy in the evening. |
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| The water pipe and also route the tram took along the mountainside |
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| We decided to hike the 3.5 miles out in the morning. It was 99% downhill--pretty easy but rocky! |
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| Special treat towards the bottom--huckleberries! I tried to overindulge without holding everyone up. |
What a super adventure to share with friends. Count yourself as one very lucky person to partake of such beauty in the surroundings. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
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